If Rod Serling were alive to see this…

November 18, 2010 — iwonder24

The field of medicine is evolving faster than any of us could know. Society is only aware of the little information they have learned through media, or perhaps an illness/disability that has affected them personally. Survival of the fittest means something much different when technology is involved. We want to cure cancer, AIDS, Alzheimer, prevent autism, look better, move better, think better, live longer, etc…

We have to wonder…What else is the human race capable of? Modern medicine has been essential for many of us. I myself would have not ever existed if my mother was not introduced to Artificial Reproduction Technology (ART). In fact my mother herself may have not existed if a new procedure had not helped complications in her own mother’s pregnancy. Recently, I had a metal plate and three screws inserted into my ankle so that I could walk again. My father would not have survived cancer if it had not been for a new breakthrough in treatment. That said, the evolution of medicine has been a necessity for many of us, our existence possibly dependent on it. Breakthroughs in medicine happen every day. Researchers work endless hours in labs to find out what else is possible. We have already cloned a sheep (Dolly,who is now dead) and are now tinkering with the idea of growing replacement organs for transplants. What is stopping medicine from spinning out of control? We are now entering the Twilight Zone.

Athletes are given human growth hormones to enhance performance. Women insert bags of silicone under the muscles in their breasts. Entire faces are altered by the skillful slice and dice of a willing surgeon (Michael Jackson anyone?) All of these things would seem entirely outrageous, even frightening fifty years ago. Let your imagination run wild to visualize the human being of 2060.

A new field is starting to infiltrate medicine. Some like to call it “Bioethics”, others “Clinical Philosophy.” Either way the point is that Doctors, Philosophers, and other people in general are starting to wonder if our ever enhancing capabilities can be controlled by our morality. Culture over Biology or Biology over culture?